When he’s not pursuing UFC President Dana White veteran slugger James Toney now boxes for anomalous titles in California.
Having exhausted the sports fortunes in his twenty-two year career the former multiple division champion recently turned his attention to the UFC and made his case for inclusion to Dana White in a Las Vegas meeting after UFC 108 on January 2.
“There has been some preliminary talks, however nothing concrete has been made yet,” Toney’s agent Marc Combetto told me.
“James is focusing on a potential fight Antonio Tarver for the summer.”
A potential clash with the ‘Magic Man’ has now become Toney’s priority, a move which looks like curtailing his Octagon ambitions.
“I love the fight; I think it's a great fight. He's going to try and talk trash, but he's a solid fighter and I get up for fights like this,” said the IBA and NABO heavyweight champion.
Sunday 17 January 2010
Thursday 31 December 2009
MMA’s class of 2009
http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/11798/
As another year in the fight game comes to an end I present a dozen fighters who’ve made strides over the past 12 months and kept me transfixed in the sport.
It’s not a P4P list, or fighters of the year list, but a selection of noteworthy fighters, all of whom should feature heavily in the next calendar year.
Marios Zaromskis – In everywhere bar his London, England base and his native Lithuania the talented welterweight started 2009 as an unknown. ‘The Whitemare’ had amassed a 9-3 record with 7 fights coming in the now defunct Cage Rage. Every victory naturally come by way of emphatic stoppage.
His career exploded into life in Japan courtesy of DREAM’s welterweight GP. Zaromskis scored a unanimous decision over Seichi Ikemoto in the opening round before knocking the much-fancied Hayato Sakurai and Jason High senseless to win the DREAM Welterweight GP and become the organisation’s first 168-pound champion.
The Šiauliai, Lithuania native, 29, rounded off a breakout year in October with a 19-second demolition of Ho Bae Myeon in DREAM’s experimental white cage.
London Shootfighters’ chilling knockout artist opens 2010 with his North American debut as he competes for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title against the in-form and formidable looking Nick Diaz in what could be an explosive tear up.
Dan Hardy – Nottingham, England’s venerated welterweight went from newcomer to contender in the UFC this year.
The former Cage Warriors champion is a lethal striker who thrives on the big occasion.
Team Rough House’s original success story, Hardy has also been sharpening his skills in America and working with man of the moment Freddie Roach at the American’s Wildcard Boxing Gym and at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.
Hardy, now a purple belt under Eddie Bravo at 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, edged past perennial welterweight contenders Marcus Davis and Mike Swick this year after knocking out Rory Markham in February.
‘The Outlaw’s decision victory over Mike Swick was the most significant win by a Brit in the Octagon as Hardy become the number one contender at 170 and sealed a March 2010 meeting with dominant welterweight king Georges St Pierre.
The supremely confident Englishman won’t labour through the gears against GSP, he’ll have trained for the fight of his life.
GSP, the very definition of endurance, is unlikely to make the mistake of underestimating Hardy, as he did former conqueror Matt Serra. Even so the French-Canadian should be ready for what promises to be a taxing title defence.
Gegard Mousasi – As a member of Vadim Finkelstein’s Red Devil Sports Club, which houses the great and untouchable Fedor Emelianenko, Mousasi was always destined to be amongst the sport’s most eminent names.
The former Cage Warriors middleweight champion, who was an amateur boxing champion in the Netherlands as a teenager, has excelled since arriving in the sport at the age of 18.
A deadly striker, Mousasi is an equally able submission artist. The Iran-born standout won DREAM’s middleweight GP before arriving in Strikeforce this year.
After steamrolling his way through DREAM’s international ranks, including first round wins over Denis Kang, Melvin Manhoef, Ronaldo Souza and Mark Hunt, big things were expected from the Dutch-Armenian.
Mousasi moved up to light-heavyweight and knocked out Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral in August for the Strikeforce light-heavyweight title in his promotional debut.
That stunning 60-second win was followed up by a stoppage success over Team Quest’s African Assassin, Sokoudjou.
Mousasi, who fights out of Team Jurojin in Leiden, Netherlands, is riding a 14-fight win streak which dates back to 2006. Of his 27 triumphs he’s won 25 inside the distance. Such is his talent and mature performances it’s easy to lose sight of him still being only 24.
To dub him a ‘rising star’ is doing him a disservice. He’s a calculated fighter who possesses infinite ways of harming you. To top that he should be considered genuine pound-for-pound top 10 material.
Jake Shields - 10-year veteran Shields is coming into his own in the fight game. Riding a 13-fight win streak the Californian is in the best form of his career.
Shields, 30, who was the first and only Elite XC welterweight champion, has been disposing of welterweight contenders at every turn in recent times.
After impressively making light work of UFC vets Renato Verissimo, Mike Pyle, Nick Thompson and Paul Daley while in Elite XC Shields was quickly picked up by Strikeforce, the twelfth promotion he’s fought for in his distinguished career.
The former Shooto champion, a noted black-belt under Cesar Gracie, submitted Robbie Lawler in their 182-pound catchweight contest in June.
In November Shields won the vacant Strikeforce middleweight title after grounding out a decision against a game Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller. The title was previously held by Frank Shamrock and Cung Le and will now be coveted by newcomers Melvin Manhoef, Dan Henderson, Kazuo Masaki and Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza.
Vitor Belfort – The Phenom bravado has returned and Belfort is looking like his old self in the Octagon.
After the 32-year-old departed from the UFC in 2005 he had mixed success in PRIDE, before eventually winding up as the Cage Rage light-heavyweight champion in London.
The Brazilian reestablished himself in Affliction after taking out Terry Martin and Matt Lindland in successive fights, the later taking half a minute in January 2009.
On his anticipated UFC return Belfort picked up knockout of the night honours against Rich Franklin.
The former UFC light-heavyweight champion is next in line for unstoppable countryman and 185-pound champion Anderson Silva. The pair are tipped to meet in April at UFC 111 in what could be one of Silva’s last appearances before his anticipated retirement.
Alistair Overeem - The Demolition Man, now a daunting heavyweight wrecking ball, has been much in demand this year.
The Strikeforce heavyweight champion has busied himself on the K-1 and MMA circuit in Japan. Such is his schedule the Golden Glory fighter is yet to defend the Strikeforce title he captured in 2007.
After besting former K-1 heavyweight champion Badr Hari at Dynamite last year it was inevitable that the Dutch ace would be active on the K-1 scene in 2009.
Overeem, who was born in Hounslow, London, England, lost a decision to compatriot Remy Bonjasky in March but beat another famed Dutchman, Peter Aerts, by the same method at the Final 16 to secure a spot in the last 8 at the K-1 WGP 2009 final.
The 29-year-old disposed of Braziian Ewerton Teixeira with a left knee strike but fell in the semi-final to Badr Hari via a left high kick.
On the MMA front Overeem stormed past Tony Sylvester and James Thompson, both victories coming in October via a guillotine choke.
Next up is Antonio Inoki’s protégé ‘Iron head’ Kazuyuki Fujita at Dynamite. Overeem will be then taking time off until March when he’ll complete the one fight left on his K-1 contract before finally returning to the US to defend his Strikeforce title.
Nick Diaz – The immensely popular Californian has far more in has so much more in his locker than extracurricular activities.
Diaz, a middle finger raising rebel who appears to have nothing but disdain for the powers that be in the fight game, is an unorthodox yet tenacious force in the cage.
The 26-year-old is also blessed with a great engine and stamina which is to be expected from an avid triathlete.
Diaz continued to enhance his reputation this year with two fine victories over Frank Shamrock and Scott Smith in Strikeforce. Now riding a five-fight win-streak the Stockton slugger tangles with the highly-touted Marios Zaromskis in January.
The one-time WEC welterweight champion, who revels in tormenting his rivals in and out of the cage, is a survivor in MMA. His 29th career fight next month could be his best yet.
Mamed Khalidov – The Poland-based Chechen blitzed the middleweight division in Europe to emerge as one of the continent’s hottest properties.
Khalidov, who rejected overtures from the UFC last year, is riding one of the greatest runs in the sport - an 18-fight undefeated streak dating back to 2005.
The Chechen Top Team fighter, 28, has for the majority of his career gone about his craft with aplomb in Poland with little fanfare.
Many victories have indeed come against unfamiliar names but those still to be convinced should check out his 2009 catalogue of victories.
After overcoming PRIDE veteran Daniel Acacio at KSW IX in Poland the in demand middleweight elected to sign with Sengoku.
Khalidov then made one of the biggest statements of the year by leaving Sengoku’s middleweight GP winner and 185-pound champion Jorge Santiago laid out cold on the canvas.
Wary of the threat of the well-rounded Sengoku newcomer posed, Santagio’s team reportedly took the fight only after all parties agreed that the November clash would be a non-title bout. The Brazilian had previously recorded nine straight wins, all coming by way of stoppage.
Khalidov, who prays up to five times a day, has displayed a broad set of skills by finishing nine fights by knockout or technical knockout and ten by submission.
The in-form middleweight has two fights left on his Sengoku contract and if they’re still around then will struggle to retain his services.
Eddie Alvarez – As active as he is talented the American lightweight has become one of the top 155-pounders in the world.
Last year Alvarez arrived in DREAM and humbled Joachim Hansen and Tatsuya Kawajiri in consecutive bouts in the LW GP. The 25-year-old was forced to withdraw from the final due to an eye injury but had beefed up his stock enough to earn a New Years Eve showdown with grappling ace Shinya Aoki.
Top ranked Aoki snuffed out the American in the first round, Alvarez submitting to a heel hook.
The Kensington, Philadelphia native went 4-0 this year. Alvarez chalked off three straight victories in Bellator to claim the promotions lightweight title.
His most notable win was a submission victory over fast-rising Katsunori Kikuno back in DREAM in October.
The Fight Factory fighter, a former BoDog FIGHT welterweight champion, should renew acquaintances with Joachim Hansen, Shinya Aoki and Tatsuya Kawajiri in 2010 as well as testing himself against the likes of Hayato Sakurai, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Gilbert Melendez and a returning JZ Calvan.
Jose Aldo – WEC’s little firecracker has lit up the featherweight ranks since moving to America.
When he arrived he could barely afford food, now he’s earning decent money and turning heads.
The Brazilian sported a 10-1 record when he made the jump to WEC last year. In his debut he scored a TKO victory over countryman and long-running Shooto champion Alexandre Nogueira.
This year Aldo knocked out Rolando Perez and Cub Swanson either side of a TKO win over Chris Mickle. In November the all-conquering BJJ black-belt knocked out featherweight champion Mike Brown to claim the title.
Still only 23, Aldo has been unstoppable in the WEC, firing off six stoppage victories from as many fights to cement his place as one of the sports elite 145-pounders.
The Nova União fighter now takes centre stage for the UFC’s enthralling sibling and will be looking to continue his stroll through the well-stocked featherweight ranks and clean out the must-see division.
Mo Lawal – ‘King Mo’ hasn’t gingerly tiptoed his way into the sport with careful matchmaking. He’s jumped right in to tangling with respected opposition. The results have been remarkable.
Lawal’s debut come last year in Sengoku as a late replacement for Roger Grace. The former NCAA champion blasted the hugely experienced Travis Wiuff into defeat in the first round.
After seeing off Wiuff, a former conqueror of Pedro Rizzo, with the upmost ease there was reason for great optimism for the wrestling convert.
The 28-year-old registered a further two triumphs in Sengoku this year. Lawal saw off well-rounded judoka Yukiya Naito and dominated King of Pancrase Ryo Kawamura.
After forging a 4-0 record in Japan the Murfreesboro, Tennessee native finally made a mark in America in August with another one-sided success. This time Lawal pounded out MMA legend Mark Kerr in just 25 seconds.
No longer a surprise package his opponents have battled to constrain his raw power, high-energy and finesse. But the acclaimed wrestler has continued to bewilder more experienced foes as he flaunts his heavy hands.
His ever-prospering career was last punctuated by a December success against former IFL veteran Mike Whitehead.
Additionally the Strikeforce newcomer has the creative ‘King Mo’ persona, from which the wisecracking work of training partner Mayhem Miller is apparent.
In 2010 the ‘moneyweight’ should position himself for a title engagement against Strikeforce’s stay-away heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem or light heavyweight titleholder Gegard Mousasi.
Mizuto Hirota – The Japanese lightweight has usurped many of his compatriots to become a respected force in his homeland.
Last year the Shooto veteran made an impact in Cage Force by defeating Tomonari Kanomata, of Paraestra Hachioji, to win the promotions 155-pound title.
His newly-found notoriety landed him a spot in Sengoku’s lightweight GP. Hirota knocked out the last IFL lightweight champion Ryan Schultz with a superman punch but fell in the semi-finals to Kazunori Tokota via a unanimous decision.
In February 2009 the Gutsman Shooto Dojo product fought multiple-time K.O.P Katsuya Inoue to a draw to retain his Cage Force title.
The 28-year-old scored a TKO victory over Mitsuhiro Ishida next time out and in August upset Sengoku’s lightweight GP winner Satoru Kitaoka to become lightweight champion
Hirota, whose last six victories have come by KO/TKO, now faces his toughest assignment yet as he meets DREAM rival Shinya Aoki on New Year’s Eve in a non-unification bout.
As another year in the fight game comes to an end I present a dozen fighters who’ve made strides over the past 12 months and kept me transfixed in the sport.
It’s not a P4P list, or fighters of the year list, but a selection of noteworthy fighters, all of whom should feature heavily in the next calendar year.
Marios Zaromskis – In everywhere bar his London, England base and his native Lithuania the talented welterweight started 2009 as an unknown. ‘The Whitemare’ had amassed a 9-3 record with 7 fights coming in the now defunct Cage Rage. Every victory naturally come by way of emphatic stoppage.
His career exploded into life in Japan courtesy of DREAM’s welterweight GP. Zaromskis scored a unanimous decision over Seichi Ikemoto in the opening round before knocking the much-fancied Hayato Sakurai and Jason High senseless to win the DREAM Welterweight GP and become the organisation’s first 168-pound champion.
The Šiauliai, Lithuania native, 29, rounded off a breakout year in October with a 19-second demolition of Ho Bae Myeon in DREAM’s experimental white cage.
London Shootfighters’ chilling knockout artist opens 2010 with his North American debut as he competes for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title against the in-form and formidable looking Nick Diaz in what could be an explosive tear up.
Dan Hardy – Nottingham, England’s venerated welterweight went from newcomer to contender in the UFC this year.
The former Cage Warriors champion is a lethal striker who thrives on the big occasion.
Team Rough House’s original success story, Hardy has also been sharpening his skills in America and working with man of the moment Freddie Roach at the American’s Wildcard Boxing Gym and at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.
Hardy, now a purple belt under Eddie Bravo at 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, edged past perennial welterweight contenders Marcus Davis and Mike Swick this year after knocking out Rory Markham in February.
‘The Outlaw’s decision victory over Mike Swick was the most significant win by a Brit in the Octagon as Hardy become the number one contender at 170 and sealed a March 2010 meeting with dominant welterweight king Georges St Pierre.
The supremely confident Englishman won’t labour through the gears against GSP, he’ll have trained for the fight of his life.
GSP, the very definition of endurance, is unlikely to make the mistake of underestimating Hardy, as he did former conqueror Matt Serra. Even so the French-Canadian should be ready for what promises to be a taxing title defence.
Gegard Mousasi – As a member of Vadim Finkelstein’s Red Devil Sports Club, which houses the great and untouchable Fedor Emelianenko, Mousasi was always destined to be amongst the sport’s most eminent names.
The former Cage Warriors middleweight champion, who was an amateur boxing champion in the Netherlands as a teenager, has excelled since arriving in the sport at the age of 18.
A deadly striker, Mousasi is an equally able submission artist. The Iran-born standout won DREAM’s middleweight GP before arriving in Strikeforce this year.
After steamrolling his way through DREAM’s international ranks, including first round wins over Denis Kang, Melvin Manhoef, Ronaldo Souza and Mark Hunt, big things were expected from the Dutch-Armenian.
Mousasi moved up to light-heavyweight and knocked out Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral in August for the Strikeforce light-heavyweight title in his promotional debut.
That stunning 60-second win was followed up by a stoppage success over Team Quest’s African Assassin, Sokoudjou.
Mousasi, who fights out of Team Jurojin in Leiden, Netherlands, is riding a 14-fight win streak which dates back to 2006. Of his 27 triumphs he’s won 25 inside the distance. Such is his talent and mature performances it’s easy to lose sight of him still being only 24.
To dub him a ‘rising star’ is doing him a disservice. He’s a calculated fighter who possesses infinite ways of harming you. To top that he should be considered genuine pound-for-pound top 10 material.
Jake Shields - 10-year veteran Shields is coming into his own in the fight game. Riding a 13-fight win streak the Californian is in the best form of his career.
Shields, 30, who was the first and only Elite XC welterweight champion, has been disposing of welterweight contenders at every turn in recent times.
After impressively making light work of UFC vets Renato Verissimo, Mike Pyle, Nick Thompson and Paul Daley while in Elite XC Shields was quickly picked up by Strikeforce, the twelfth promotion he’s fought for in his distinguished career.
The former Shooto champion, a noted black-belt under Cesar Gracie, submitted Robbie Lawler in their 182-pound catchweight contest in June.
In November Shields won the vacant Strikeforce middleweight title after grounding out a decision against a game Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller. The title was previously held by Frank Shamrock and Cung Le and will now be coveted by newcomers Melvin Manhoef, Dan Henderson, Kazuo Masaki and Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza.
Vitor Belfort – The Phenom bravado has returned and Belfort is looking like his old self in the Octagon.
After the 32-year-old departed from the UFC in 2005 he had mixed success in PRIDE, before eventually winding up as the Cage Rage light-heavyweight champion in London.
The Brazilian reestablished himself in Affliction after taking out Terry Martin and Matt Lindland in successive fights, the later taking half a minute in January 2009.
On his anticipated UFC return Belfort picked up knockout of the night honours against Rich Franklin.
The former UFC light-heavyweight champion is next in line for unstoppable countryman and 185-pound champion Anderson Silva. The pair are tipped to meet in April at UFC 111 in what could be one of Silva’s last appearances before his anticipated retirement.
Alistair Overeem - The Demolition Man, now a daunting heavyweight wrecking ball, has been much in demand this year.
The Strikeforce heavyweight champion has busied himself on the K-1 and MMA circuit in Japan. Such is his schedule the Golden Glory fighter is yet to defend the Strikeforce title he captured in 2007.
After besting former K-1 heavyweight champion Badr Hari at Dynamite last year it was inevitable that the Dutch ace would be active on the K-1 scene in 2009.
Overeem, who was born in Hounslow, London, England, lost a decision to compatriot Remy Bonjasky in March but beat another famed Dutchman, Peter Aerts, by the same method at the Final 16 to secure a spot in the last 8 at the K-1 WGP 2009 final.
The 29-year-old disposed of Braziian Ewerton Teixeira with a left knee strike but fell in the semi-final to Badr Hari via a left high kick.
On the MMA front Overeem stormed past Tony Sylvester and James Thompson, both victories coming in October via a guillotine choke.
Next up is Antonio Inoki’s protégé ‘Iron head’ Kazuyuki Fujita at Dynamite. Overeem will be then taking time off until March when he’ll complete the one fight left on his K-1 contract before finally returning to the US to defend his Strikeforce title.
Nick Diaz – The immensely popular Californian has far more in has so much more in his locker than extracurricular activities.
Diaz, a middle finger raising rebel who appears to have nothing but disdain for the powers that be in the fight game, is an unorthodox yet tenacious force in the cage.
The 26-year-old is also blessed with a great engine and stamina which is to be expected from an avid triathlete.
Diaz continued to enhance his reputation this year with two fine victories over Frank Shamrock and Scott Smith in Strikeforce. Now riding a five-fight win-streak the Stockton slugger tangles with the highly-touted Marios Zaromskis in January.
The one-time WEC welterweight champion, who revels in tormenting his rivals in and out of the cage, is a survivor in MMA. His 29th career fight next month could be his best yet.
Mamed Khalidov – The Poland-based Chechen blitzed the middleweight division in Europe to emerge as one of the continent’s hottest properties.
Khalidov, who rejected overtures from the UFC last year, is riding one of the greatest runs in the sport - an 18-fight undefeated streak dating back to 2005.
The Chechen Top Team fighter, 28, has for the majority of his career gone about his craft with aplomb in Poland with little fanfare.
Many victories have indeed come against unfamiliar names but those still to be convinced should check out his 2009 catalogue of victories.
After overcoming PRIDE veteran Daniel Acacio at KSW IX in Poland the in demand middleweight elected to sign with Sengoku.
Khalidov then made one of the biggest statements of the year by leaving Sengoku’s middleweight GP winner and 185-pound champion Jorge Santiago laid out cold on the canvas.
Wary of the threat of the well-rounded Sengoku newcomer posed, Santagio’s team reportedly took the fight only after all parties agreed that the November clash would be a non-title bout. The Brazilian had previously recorded nine straight wins, all coming by way of stoppage.
Khalidov, who prays up to five times a day, has displayed a broad set of skills by finishing nine fights by knockout or technical knockout and ten by submission.
The in-form middleweight has two fights left on his Sengoku contract and if they’re still around then will struggle to retain his services.
Eddie Alvarez – As active as he is talented the American lightweight has become one of the top 155-pounders in the world.
Last year Alvarez arrived in DREAM and humbled Joachim Hansen and Tatsuya Kawajiri in consecutive bouts in the LW GP. The 25-year-old was forced to withdraw from the final due to an eye injury but had beefed up his stock enough to earn a New Years Eve showdown with grappling ace Shinya Aoki.
Top ranked Aoki snuffed out the American in the first round, Alvarez submitting to a heel hook.
The Kensington, Philadelphia native went 4-0 this year. Alvarez chalked off three straight victories in Bellator to claim the promotions lightweight title.
His most notable win was a submission victory over fast-rising Katsunori Kikuno back in DREAM in October.
The Fight Factory fighter, a former BoDog FIGHT welterweight champion, should renew acquaintances with Joachim Hansen, Shinya Aoki and Tatsuya Kawajiri in 2010 as well as testing himself against the likes of Hayato Sakurai, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Gilbert Melendez and a returning JZ Calvan.
Jose Aldo – WEC’s little firecracker has lit up the featherweight ranks since moving to America.
When he arrived he could barely afford food, now he’s earning decent money and turning heads.
The Brazilian sported a 10-1 record when he made the jump to WEC last year. In his debut he scored a TKO victory over countryman and long-running Shooto champion Alexandre Nogueira.
This year Aldo knocked out Rolando Perez and Cub Swanson either side of a TKO win over Chris Mickle. In November the all-conquering BJJ black-belt knocked out featherweight champion Mike Brown to claim the title.
Still only 23, Aldo has been unstoppable in the WEC, firing off six stoppage victories from as many fights to cement his place as one of the sports elite 145-pounders.
The Nova União fighter now takes centre stage for the UFC’s enthralling sibling and will be looking to continue his stroll through the well-stocked featherweight ranks and clean out the must-see division.
Mo Lawal – ‘King Mo’ hasn’t gingerly tiptoed his way into the sport with careful matchmaking. He’s jumped right in to tangling with respected opposition. The results have been remarkable.
Lawal’s debut come last year in Sengoku as a late replacement for Roger Grace. The former NCAA champion blasted the hugely experienced Travis Wiuff into defeat in the first round.
After seeing off Wiuff, a former conqueror of Pedro Rizzo, with the upmost ease there was reason for great optimism for the wrestling convert.
The 28-year-old registered a further two triumphs in Sengoku this year. Lawal saw off well-rounded judoka Yukiya Naito and dominated King of Pancrase Ryo Kawamura.
After forging a 4-0 record in Japan the Murfreesboro, Tennessee native finally made a mark in America in August with another one-sided success. This time Lawal pounded out MMA legend Mark Kerr in just 25 seconds.
No longer a surprise package his opponents have battled to constrain his raw power, high-energy and finesse. But the acclaimed wrestler has continued to bewilder more experienced foes as he flaunts his heavy hands.
His ever-prospering career was last punctuated by a December success against former IFL veteran Mike Whitehead.
Additionally the Strikeforce newcomer has the creative ‘King Mo’ persona, from which the wisecracking work of training partner Mayhem Miller is apparent.
In 2010 the ‘moneyweight’ should position himself for a title engagement against Strikeforce’s stay-away heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem or light heavyweight titleholder Gegard Mousasi.
Mizuto Hirota – The Japanese lightweight has usurped many of his compatriots to become a respected force in his homeland.
Last year the Shooto veteran made an impact in Cage Force by defeating Tomonari Kanomata, of Paraestra Hachioji, to win the promotions 155-pound title.
His newly-found notoriety landed him a spot in Sengoku’s lightweight GP. Hirota knocked out the last IFL lightweight champion Ryan Schultz with a superman punch but fell in the semi-finals to Kazunori Tokota via a unanimous decision.
In February 2009 the Gutsman Shooto Dojo product fought multiple-time K.O.P Katsuya Inoue to a draw to retain his Cage Force title.
The 28-year-old scored a TKO victory over Mitsuhiro Ishida next time out and in August upset Sengoku’s lightweight GP winner Satoru Kitaoka to become lightweight champion
Hirota, whose last six victories have come by KO/TKO, now faces his toughest assignment yet as he meets DREAM rival Shinya Aoki on New Year’s Eve in a non-unification bout.
Wednesday 30 December 2009
Mousasi delays boxing debut as M-1 confirm NYE bout
Dutch-Armenian Gegard Mousasi has pulled the plug on his pro boxing debut on January 8th to face Gary Goodridge at K-1 Dynamite.
Mousasi was due to box as a heavyweight for Art of Boxing promotions at the Glendale Civic Auditorium, California, in the 2010 premier of ESPN2’s ‘Friday Night Fights’. The show features former world heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs and is headlined by a IBF middleweight title eliminator between Roman Karmazin and Dionisio Miranda.
The Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, who was an amateur boxing champion in the Netherlands as a teenager, has been removed from BoxRec’s card after news emerged of his eleventh hour addition to the New Years Eve show.
“As you might have seen Gegard will be facing Gary Goodridge on NYE in Japan,” said M-1 agent Jacob Schaap.
“Mousasi is an M-1 fighter and all the fights he has (boxing, MMA and K-1) are discussed agreed and supported by M-1.”
The former Cage Warriors middleweight champion will reprise his boxing ambitions later this year in conjunction to fighting in DREAM and Strikeforce.
Thursday 17 December 2009
British broadcaster Five picks up TUF: 11
British broadcaster channel Five has confirmed that they will be airing The Ultimate Fighter 11 next spring.
The national terrestrial channel first experimented with UFC programming by airing the tenth and latest instalment of the UFC reality series which was won by Roy “Big Country” Nelson.
“We have acquired the rights to Series 11 but no broadcast dates are scheduled at the moment,” a Five official told MMA Exclusive.
“We currently only have an agreement to broadcast five UFC Main Event programmes and are planning to transmit UFC 105 on Sunday 3rd January.”
TUF: 11 premieres in March and sees former UFC light-heavyweight champions Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz renew hostilities as they coach 16 middleweights en route to a third meeting in the Octagon.
The Iceman, 40, was a coach on the first season in 2005, either side of TKO victories over Ortiz in 2004 and 2006.
The national terrestrial channel first experimented with UFC programming by airing the tenth and latest instalment of the UFC reality series which was won by Roy “Big Country” Nelson.
“We have acquired the rights to Series 11 but no broadcast dates are scheduled at the moment,” a Five official told MMA Exclusive.
“We currently only have an agreement to broadcast five UFC Main Event programmes and are planning to transmit UFC 105 on Sunday 3rd January.”
TUF: 11 premieres in March and sees former UFC light-heavyweight champions Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz renew hostilities as they coach 16 middleweights en route to a third meeting in the Octagon.
The Iceman, 40, was a coach on the first season in 2005, either side of TKO victories over Ortiz in 2004 and 2006.
Tuesday 15 December 2009
Bruised Sanchez plots road back to Penn
Diego Sanchez is plotting a road back to rematching BJ Penn just days after being clinically dismantled by the UFC lightweight champion.
Penn bloodied the challenger with a vicious right leg kick to the forehead to score a TKO stoppage after the doctor waived the contest off.
Despite being stopped for the first time in his career and in such convincing fashion, Sanchez says he’s keen to get his career back on track.
“I'm good, I’m in high spirits, I have work to do once my face heals,” he said.
“I will be training asap with bad intentions for the next person I fight on the road back to Penn.
“BJ really gave it to me. It was not my night I just couldn't find him. I guess you have to take some to give some.”
Penn bloodied the challenger with a vicious right leg kick to the forehead to score a TKO stoppage after the doctor waived the contest off.
Despite being stopped for the first time in his career and in such convincing fashion, Sanchez says he’s keen to get his career back on track.
“I'm good, I’m in high spirits, I have work to do once my face heals,” he said.
“I will be training asap with bad intentions for the next person I fight on the road back to Penn.
“BJ really gave it to me. It was not my night I just couldn't find him. I guess you have to take some to give some.”
Ex-UFC champ Tim Sylvia NOT fighting on NYE
Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia will not be competing at K-1 Dynamite on New Year’s Eve.
The 33-year-old had verbally agreed his Japanese debut and his agent Monte Cox had mentioned Alistair Overeem and Hong Man Choi as potential opponents. Yet for reasons undisclosed the bout has fallen through at the last minute.
“Just found out not fighting in Japan on New Year’s,” Sylvia twittered on Friday.
Adding to Sylvia’s woes is the fact that he’s recently returned to full health after breaking his right hand in his September victory over Jason Riley at Adrenaline 4.
The 33-year-old had verbally agreed his Japanese debut and his agent Monte Cox had mentioned Alistair Overeem and Hong Man Choi as potential opponents. Yet for reasons undisclosed the bout has fallen through at the last minute.
“Just found out not fighting in Japan on New Year’s,” Sylvia twittered on Friday.
Adding to Sylvia’s woes is the fact that he’s recently returned to full health after breaking his right hand in his September victory over Jason Riley at Adrenaline 4.
Monday 14 December 2009
Strikeforce add DREAM’s Tarec Saffiedine
Belgian welterweight Tarec Saffiedine has become the latest DREAM fighter to ink a multi-fight deal with American partner Strikeforce.
The 23-year-old follows Marius Žaromskis, Melvin Manhoef and Gegard Mousasi in signing up with the California-based organisation
Saffiedine registered on Strikeforce’s radar after overcoming 10-year Japanese veteran Seichi Ikemoto in his DREAM debut in July.
The submission specialist, who fights out of Team Quest in Murrieta, California, joins a 170-pound division which houses DREAM champion Zaromskis, Muay Thai artist Duane “Bang” Ludwig and former IFL champion Jay Hieron.
“I’ve signed with Strikeforce but I don’t have anything coming up at the moment,” the Belgian told MMA Exclusive.
Saffiedine also refuted rumours that he’s due to meet American Jason High on the DREAM portion of FEG’s annual New Year’s Eve extravaganza, K-1 Dynamite.
“I didn’t hear anything about fighting Jason High, you are the first to talk to me about that. I am still training everyday and waiting for anything Dream or Strikeforce offers me.”
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